Neurosurgery Training in Greece.

Objective: The structure and specifics of neurosurgery residency training vary substantially across programs and countries, potentially leading to differences in clinical reasoning, surgical skills, and professionalism. The Greek neurosurgical training system is unique in numerous respects. This manuscript delineates the current state of neurosurgical residency training in Greece and outlines future directions.

Surgical Planning for the Treatment of a Patient with Multiple, Secondary, Intracranial Echinococcal Cysts.

A 27-year-old man with a 2-year history of recurrent hospitalizations for various neurologic and cardiologic emergencies was admitted to our hospital presenting with left hemiparesis, which gradually progressed to quadriparesis, bilateral hemianopsia, intracranial hypertension syndrome, and seizures. A diagnosis of echinococcosis was made, based on the radiologic findings of multiple cerebral hydatid cysts and a sizable cyst of the heart. The hydatid cyst of the heart was treated first with a thoracotomy, and after a month he underwent three consecutive surgical operations for the removal of six cerebral cysts.

The advantages of frameless stereotactic biopsy over frame-based biopsy.

A comparison study is presented, which examines the outcome, complications and cost of stereotactic brain biopsy performed with a frameless versus a frame-based method. The technique of frameless stereotactic biopsy has been shown previously, in both laboratory and in vivo studies, to achieve a level of accuracy at least equal to frame-based biopsy. The investigators have validated the technique in a large clinical series.

Interactive image-guided transcallosal microsurgery for anterior third ventricular cysts.

Although the treatment of colloid cysts remains controversial, high viscosity and small volume are poor prognostic indicators for successful burr hole aspiration and cortical incision via craniotomy may be associated with postoperative epilepsy. The anterior transcallosal approach provides a direct and adequate pathway to the lateral ventricles, where the foramen of Monro serves as a natural entrance into the anterior third ventricle, especially when the foramen is dilated by a lesion. When the midsuperior portion of the IIIrd ventricle cannot be reached, the interforniceal or the subchoroidal exposures have been advocated.